Spark control and governor for internal-combustion engines



H. L THOMPSONL SPARK CONTROL AND GOVERNOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

'APPLICATION FILED MA Y l0, 1916- Y t Patented'J 1111 22,

"1-, is s err -nresr HERBERT n. 'rnonrson, OF'NEWTON, rows, sssrsivon To THE AY/rec COMEAZEW, or nnwron, IOWA, A CORPORATION or IOWA.

SPARK CONTROL AZEID' GOVERNOR FDR INTERNAL GOMBUSTIOZQ ENGINES.

lessees.

' Specification of letters Patent.

Futented June 22, 33.92%),

Application filed may 15, 1916. Serial No. 96,518.

- gines, of which the following is a specifica- .vide an epparatusof the class described, in

which the centrifugal force generated by the revolution of a pert of the engine is availed of-to automatically control the advancement or retardation of the spark, and whereby thissuine force is employed to interrupt the spark entirely if the engine should over speed.

t is a further object of my invention to make the mechanisms for carrying out the results Just mentioned, adjustable so asto perfectly control the operation of the engines i "In'the ldrawings, Figure 1 is anelevation .o f an engine constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of .Fi 3. p i

' i'g. 3 is a detailed side elevation, partly in section of the spark control.

shank 6, sleeve f. Fig. dis a top plan view thereof.

The invention is shown as applied to a 2-cycle engine,-'but it is to be understood that it is equally applicable to 4-CyClG or other, engines.

. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing"the mounting of the fly wheel.

1 representsthe crank shaft of an internal combustion en ine. Journeled upon the d upon the shaft 1 extending from the engine casing is the rotary iiy Wheel 2, driven by a pin connection from the ,end of the crank shaft 1, as clearly shown in I Fig. 5. The rotary fly wheel 2 is provided with fenblsdes 3, the particular engine herein disclosed being air cooled.

Firmly mounted upon the shank 6, rigid the spark.

with the engine casing, is the stationary commutator 7, secured to the. shank 6 by means of the set screw 8, and provided with a. contact plate 9, secured therein by the short screw 10. Screw l0 affords a connection for the insulated lead Wire 11, of an electric circuit provided with battery.

The lead wire 11 goes to the battery, while the wire from the battery is grounded on the engine, and therefore on the commutator brush hereinafter described, as will be readily understood. One of the fan blades 3 is provided with a stud or pin 12, projecting toward the engine therefrom, upon which is pivotslly mounted a bent arm comprising an upper portion 13 end a lower portion 14, at an angle thereto, the portion 14 at its outer end being provided with a bearing pin 15, upon which, in turn, is pivotally mounted a bent arm, having at its inner'end the weight 16, provided with e stop lug 16, adapted to rest against the arm 14, and at its outer end with a contact finger 17. The arm 18 is connected at its upper end by a spring 18 to a stud,19 on the fan blade 3.

Upon the arm 14, and in approximate elinement with the portion l'Z'is extension 20, in which is adjustably mounted a screw 21, against the inner end of which the weight 16 is adapted to impinge upon certain contingencies to be described.

The operation of the device is as follows When the engine is running the pin 12 can rying the spark control mechanism (l3--20) will be rapidly revolved. Under the influence of the spring 18,the bent arin will be rocked so asio spread the joint between the contact arin 1'7 and the arm l i, while the centrifugal force of the weight 16 will have an opposite effect, tending to utilise contact 1'? to creep up the'commutator, and thus advance The result of these combined forces will be that the Contact 17 floats in just the right position for every speed of the engine, advancing wheni the speed goes I up and being retarded when the speed of the engine legs, this resul being particulerly aided by the fact that the spring increases in its effective force upon the arm 13 as it is stretched.

The device is also so constructed as to speed/of the engine passes the limit for which it is set. This is accomplished by the screw 21, against which the weight 16- volving about said commutator, and con-- trifugaiiy operated means to retard or advance the brush according to the speed of the engine, whereby the spark is controlled automaticaiiy.

in an internai combustion engine, a "tationary commutator, a rotary contact erefor revolving thereabout, comprising a pair of arms pivotaliy connected together and having sliding engagement with said commutator, centrifugally operated means to cause one of said arms to move relatively to the other, whereby the contact will be advanced or retarded and the spark thus automaticajly controlled.

3. in internal combustion engine, a. stationary commutator, a brush revolving about said commutator, and centrifugally operated means carried by said brush to re tard or advance the brush according to the speed of the engine'to automatically control the 4-. in internai combustion engine, a stationary commutator, an arm adapted in route about said commutator, a lever pivomounted on said arm, and a brush pivotaliyconnected to said lever and carrying a weight at one end whereby to centrifu ally control the spark. i

5. in an internal combustion engine, a stationary commutator, an arm adapted to rotate about said commutator, a lever pivotaliy mounted on said arm, a brush pivotally connected to said lever and carry ing a weight at one end whereby to centrifugaily control the spark, and means to limit the movement of said brush cir(;'um ferentiaiiy of said. commutator.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a stationary commutator, a rotary contact therefor revolving thereabout, comprising a pair of 9 'ms pivotally connected together, centrifugaliy operated means to cause one of said arms to move relatively to the other;

whereby the contact Will be advanced or re-.

terded and the spark thus automatically controlled, and

in combination with adjustabie means whereby the contact is raised off the commutator at a predetermined speed of the engine.

7. In an internal combustion engine, a commutator, an arm adapted to rotate about ea-sees stationar disk having a conducting portion and a non-conducting portion, a rotary support tosaid dish, a jointed arm pivotaliy mounted on said rotary support, and having at one end sliding; contact with said disk, and means comprising resiiientmember actirg in opposition to centii'ifugai force for ca'using said jointed to be slidabiy advance 4 or retarded. with relation to said disk as the speed of rotation of said arm 9. In apparatus of the ciass described, a crank shaft, commutator, a rotary support upon the crank shaft, a jointed arm, comprising two sections, one thereof pivota'liy mounted on the support, and tlie otlier thereof pivoted intermediate its ends on the first and terminating at one end in contact slidabiy engaging the commutator and at the other in a weight, the joint of said jointed arm spreading under increased rotative speed of said support, resilient means acting upon the first arm, norroaiiy tending "lo close joint as said speed decreases, whereby the contact wiii advance or lag with respect to its position on the commutater, according to the speed of the engine.

10. In. apparatus of the class described, a crank shaft, commutator, a rotary support upon the crank shaft, a jointed arm pivotally mounted on the support and slidably hearing at one end on the commutator 'at-a point anguiariy displaced from support of said arm, resilient means actin upon said arm, normally tending to close said joint, and centrifugaliy operating means operating to spread said joint.

11. In apparatus of the class described, a.

support driven by the crank shaft, a jointed member pivoted to the rotary support and bearing at one end on theeommutator, resilient means and weight'operatedmeans to control the relative-position of the contact' of said jointed member with the commutator and means for causing the contact with the commutator to be broken for over speeding of the engine. v

12. In apparatus of the class described, a crank shaft, commutator, :a rotary support upon the crank shaft, a jointed arm, comprisingtwo sections, one thereof pivotaily the pivotal crank shaft, a commutator disk, a rotary rec mounted on the supp0rt,'a1id the otherthereof pivoted intermediate its ends on the first and terminating at one end in a contact the commutator and at the other in a weight, the first section being extended to spark will be advanced or retarded accord ing to engine speed, and @upon excessive engine speed the commutator and arm will be separated.

' 13. In an internal combustion engine, a contact device, a "rotary support, an arm pivoted on seid support but eccentricaliy with respect thereto, a second arm pivoted to and carried by one end of said first arm, a Weight on one end of said second arm and a contact deviceon the other end thereof, whereby the relative movement of the two arms under the influence of the centrifugal force generated by the weight will cause the contact device on the end of the second arm to be shifted with relation to the. first mentioned contact device.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe mywname to this specification in the presence of two Witnesses. Y

HERBERT L. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

T. W. MOLER, W. I. SPARKS. 

